The crisis in the African Great Lakes is a regional power struggle in which the Forces démocratiques de libération du Rwanda (FDLR) have taken political, institutional and military structures hostage in both Kinshasa and Bujumbura. The FDLR’s influence reaches into the Congolese army, political institutions, local administrations, armed groups and mineral networks. Through its alliance with elements within the Forces armées de la République démocratique du Congo (FARDC), its relationship with the Wazalendo and its intrinsic connection with Burundi’s CNDD-FDD regime, the FDLR has become the central political force shaping the security architecture of the Great Lakes. FDLR’s DRC and Burundi state capture Kinshasa has become dependent on the FDLR and its networks to wage war against its enemies. Bujumbura has become part of the same strategic system. The result is a regional bloc built around an armed ideology, a shared security agenda and the preservation of political power through...

Nairobi — Hundreds of Burundian nationals living in Kenya have turned to the Burundian Embassy and cyber cafés in Nairobi to process documentation amid growing uncertainty following President William Ruto’s remarks on foreign traders operating in the country. Long queues were reported at the Burundian Embassy along Dennis Pritt Road on Monday, with nationals seeking documentation as the government steps up scrutiny of foreigners working and conducting business in Kenya. The embassy has also begun issuing emergency travel documents to Burundian nationals who are unable to use their passports, according to earlier reports. Others were seen at cyber cafés near the embassy carrying identification cards, passports and permits as they processed various documents. Keep up with the latest headlines on WhatsApp | LinkedIn The activity comes days after President Ruto warned that foreigners would not be allowed to engage in certain businesses in Kenya, remarks that have generated anxiety among...

Nairobi — Detectives have arrested a 32-year-old man over remarks allegedly targeting Burundian nationals with ethnic hatred, hostility and calls for violence, just a day after the government apologised to the community over harassment linked to its crackdown on undocumented foreign traders. Kevin Odiwuor Otieno, alias Engineer Kevin, was arrested by detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) Buruburu over remarks he allegedly made during a Bunge la Mwananchi event at Jacaranda Grounds in Kayole. The remarks were captured on video and widely circulated on social media, prompting DCI detectives to launch investigations. “Detectives drawn from DCI Buruburu have arrested a 32-year-old man over remarks intended to incite ethnic hatred, hostility and violence against Burundian nationals living and working in Kenya,” the agency said. Keep up with the latest headlines on WhatsApp | LinkedIn The arrest comes as the government seeks to calm tensions among Burundian nationals following confusion...

CDA Tim SikesTimothy (Tim) Sikes is the United States Chargé d’Affaires to the Republic of Burundi, after joining the embassy in September, 2026. He is a seasoned Foreign Service Officer, with more than two decades of civilian and military service. He most recently oversaw the implementation of the America First Global Health Strategy in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), focused on fighting HIV/AIDS, malaria, and other diseases, promoting maternal and child health, and preventing the spread of dangerous outbreaks like Ebola. Prior to joining the Department of State, Tim lived and worked in five different countries over a 16-year career with USAID, with his last position being the USAID Program Office Director in Tanzania from 2022-2025. He served as the USAID Country Representative in Burundi from 2019-2022. His other assignments included Iraq, the DRC, and Afghanistan. Prior to joining USAID, Tim worked for the U.S. Marine Corps’ Culture...

Burundian diplomat Fred Ngoga has resigned from the African Union Commission after 17 years of service. Ngoga, 47, announced his resignation in a post on X on Tuesday, September 8, without giving reasons for his decision. He served as an advisor in the AU Commission. “I have decided to resign from the African Union Commission after 17 years of service,” Ngoga said in the post that was later deleted. “I used to believe that some of us have a rendez-vous with history. Shall we meet again!” Follow us on WhatsApp | LinkedIn for the latest headlines He did not state his reason for the resignation. Ngoga most recently served as Senior Adviser on International Partnerships in the AU Border Programme and Regional Security Mechanisms in the Office of the Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security. He previously headed the Conflict Prevention and Early Warning Division at the AU Commission,...

Burundi became the first side to secure a place in the semi-finals of the TotalEnergies CAF U-20 Africa Cup of Nations CECAFA Qualifier on Thursday, while Sudan made an impressive start to their campaign and Ethiopia were held by Rwanda. There were victories for Burundi and Sudan at the Uhuru Stadium in Dar es Salaam, while Rwanda and Ethiopia played out a goalless draw as the race for the two places at the TotalEnergies CAF U-20 Africa Cup of Nations Ghana 2027 gathered pace. Burundi continued their excellent form with a 2-0 victory over Kenya in Group C, captain Amini Nshimirimana scoring both goals to take his tournament tally to four. Nshimirimana, who also scored twice in the 4-0 opening victory over South Sudan, gave Burundi the lead after only 10 minutes following a slick build-up before beating Kenya goalkeeper Wayne Orata. Follow us on WhatsApp | LinkedIn for the...

To understand how colonial divide-and-rule tactics took root in the Great Lakes region, and why the current leaderships of the DR Congo and Burundi still keep them alive, I start with a simple question: which societies and kingdoms existed in this region, present-day northwest Tanzania, southern Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, and eastern Congo before colonization? Before European colonization, five kingdoms dominated the region: Buganda, Rwanda, Bunyoro-Kitara, Burundi, and Karagwe with Tooro, Ankole, and Mpororo part of Bunyoro-Kitara, and Bugesera, Gisaka, Bwisha, Bukumu, and Buhunde as part of Rwanda. According to George Sandrart’s Court de droit coutumier, the Portuguese first heard, through Giovanni Botero’s 1589 accounts, of a vast empire stretching between Abyssinia, Monomatapa, and the Congo, likely the Empire of the Batembuzi, which some evidence suggests later split into these five kingdoms. Modern borders in the Great Lakes region are colonial constructs. They arbitrarily fragmented ethnically and culturally integrated populations across...

Bujumbura — TANZANIA and Burundi have begun the Seventh Meeting of the Joint Permanent Commission for Cooperation (JPC), aimed at reviewing the implementation of bilateral cooperation agreements and developing strategies to strengthen economic and social ties between the two countries. The two-day meeting, taking place in Bujumbura, Burundi, from September 29-30, 2026, is discussing strategic issues of mutual interest, including trade and investment, transport and infrastructure, agriculture, energy and electricity, minerals, defence and security, health, education, science and technology. The meeting also seeks to identify new areas of cooperation and establish specific implementation measures to expand trade and investment opportunities, strengthen people-to-people relations and promote economic and social development in both countries. Speaking at the opening of the meeting, Charles Ngeleja Kadonya, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation responsible for East African Affairs, thanked the governments of Tanzania and Burundi for continuing to recognise...